frustrating

adjective

frus·​trat·​ing ˈfrə-ˌstrā-tiŋ 

: causing feelings of anger and annoyance : tending to produce or characterized by frustration

a frustrating delay

a very frustrating experience

Mischel concludes that having the willpower to wait isn't about being stoic. It's about learning techniques that make waiting less frustrating.

—Pamela Druckerman

frustratingly adverb

a frustratingly slow process

The book is sprawling and self-indulgent. Most frustratingly, it is almost entirely devoid of serious military analysis.

—Hew Strachan

Synonyms of frustrating

• annoying
• irritating
• disturbing

Examples of frustrating in a Sentence

All these delays have been very frustrating.

these daily traffic jams are frustrating

Recent Examples on the Web

That alone can be a frustrating issue to deal with, especially given how aggressive debt collection tactics can be. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025

That has to be frustrating to her. —Deadline, 21 Nov. 2025

Kelce and the Chiefs suffered another frustrating loss on Sunday. —Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 20 Nov. 2025

As for Buzzard, her uncooperative stance may be frustrating for investigators, but the Fifth Amendment guarantees everyone the right to silence in an interrogation. —Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 19 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for frustrating

• abating
• awaiting
• berating
• castrating
• chelating
• collating
• conflating
• creating
• debating
• deflating
• derating
• dictating

Kids Definition

frustrating

adjective

: producing frustration

a frustrating delay

frustratingly adverb